What is the Meaning of Life to an Atheist - Think Atheist2015-08-02T21:05:59Zhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/forum/topics/what-is-the-meaning-of-life-to?id=1982180%3ATopic%3A264583&feed=yes&xn_auth=noWhy do you ask this when you…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2010-06-30:1982180:Comment:3052752010-06-30T00:01:48.705ZKeith Johnstonhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/KeithJohnston
Why do you ask this when you have no interest in our answers? I think you enjoy feeling superior and judging.. Thats it isn't it?
Why do you ask this when you have no interest in our answers? I think you enjoy feeling superior and judging.. Thats it isn't it? this is the funniest post I'v…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2010-06-24:1982180:Comment:3020362010-06-24T14:26:05.511ZShawn P.http://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/ShawnPirkle
this is the funniest post I've read in a while, so David, to quote a London bus ad, "There probably is no god, so quit worrying about it and enjoy life."
this is the funniest post I've read in a while, so David, to quote a London bus ad, "There probably is no god, so quit worrying about it and enjoy life." I just spent a lot of time re…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2010-06-24:1982180:Comment:3018462010-06-24T04:32:42.647ZChelsea Shermanhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/ChelseaSherman
I just spent a lot of time reading most of this 44 page long debate and joined this website so I could reply. To other messages too, obviously. To answer the main questions:<br />
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what is the meaning of life to an athiest?<br />
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Well as I see it, its the same for everyone. We're born into this world, this is our reality so we live. It's not bad, there aren't too many reasons not to live. You have kids. Theres a meaning. Friends, a spouse or partner, those are reasons to live. The meaning of life is just…
I just spent a lot of time reading most of this 44 page long debate and joined this website so I could reply. To other messages too, obviously. To answer the main questions:<br />
<br />
what is the meaning of life to an athiest?<br />
<br />
Well as I see it, its the same for everyone. We're born into this world, this is our reality so we live. It's not bad, there aren't too many reasons not to live. You have kids. Theres a meaning. Friends, a spouse or partner, those are reasons to live. The meaning of life is just to be happy because you are.<br />
Why would you live because of a hope that when you stop living (if you live according to a book) you'll be in some kind of wonderful place.<br />
The meaning of life is that you are.<br />
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The morality question...<br />
I was watching a children's cartoon on a religious TV channel the other day. In this episode, a boy stole his friends baseball and felt bad about it. But he didn't feel bad about his friend was upset he felt bad because he "feared an eternity in hell".<br />
SO what are good morals? Feeling bad about something because you don't want to burn in flames for eternity or because you know you're friend, who you care about feels bad because of you?<br />
I wasn't brought up christian, so that's basically the moral standard I was raised with.<br />
I think it worked well, I consider myself a good persons.<br />
I think human beings instinctively know the difference between right and wrong.<br />
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And to all the quotes from the bible that look like this:<br />
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26"But you shall do nothing to the girl; there is no sin in the girl worthy of death, for just as a man rises against his neighbor and murders him, so is this case.<br />
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27"When he found her in the field, the engaged girl cried out, but there was no one to save her.<br />
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28"(O)If a man finds a girl who is a virgin, who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her and they are discovered,<br />
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are just thousand year old laws the someone wrote in the bible because they existed at the time it was written. GOD didn't write the bible. The book didn't fall from the sky. Just to clarify, which "god"…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2010-05-27:1982180:Comment:2831332010-05-27T19:38:40.064ZDanhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Dan
Just to clarify, which "god" are you referring to?
Just to clarify, which "god" are you referring to? tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2010-05-27:1982180:Comment:2830992010-05-27T18:39:37.051ZSkycomet the Fallen Angelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Skycomet
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OFkeKKszXTw&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0xe1600f&amp;color2=0xfebd01"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OFkeKKszXTw&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0xe1600f&amp;color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OFkeKKszXTw&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0xe1600f&amp;color2=0xfebd01"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OFkeKKszXTw&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0xe1600f&amp;color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="640" height="385"></embed></object> Why deny basic humanity? We a…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2010-05-12:1982180:Comment:2741762010-05-12T17:58:59.093ZMhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/trippedthewire
Why deny basic humanity? We are not selfless beings. We are judgmental. You can pretend you aren't or even try really hard not to be; good for you if you manage it. I'd guess you probably just don't notice when you do something selfish or judgmental and thus think you are truly above it all. (I believe that's why Christians so love the term "righteousness.") It only means you are honest to acknowledge imperfection. It doesn't mean you can't attempt to attain this state of selflessness if that's…
Why deny basic humanity? We are not selfless beings. We are judgmental. You can pretend you aren't or even try really hard not to be; good for you if you manage it. I'd guess you probably just don't notice when you do something selfish or judgmental and thus think you are truly above it all. (I believe that's why Christians so love the term "righteousness.") It only means you are honest to acknowledge imperfection. It doesn't mean you can't attempt to attain this state of selflessness if that's what you want, but I think it's important to recognize that humans in general are just born selfish, selfish creatures. A good example is an infant. They are completely self-centered and egocentric. It's how they survive to grow into toddlers and children and adolescents, etc. Yet they are born clean slates, innocent and ready to be shaped. It's inherent and not a "sin" for them to act in this manner. Furthermore... I forgot to ad…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2010-05-12:1982180:Comment:2738732010-05-12T05:00:04.412ZSkycomet the Fallen Angelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Skycomet
Furthermore... I forgot to add something.<br />
The modern science of psychology [which is my major] lays out a set of stages of normal human moral development. I wrote a blog about these stages a while ago, well before you came to this site and the science behind this developmental psychology supports the idea of a secular morality.<br />
This may just answer your questions so we can put this discussion to rest. HONESTLY!! With 44 pages I can't even find my OWN posts anymore. lol…
Furthermore... I forgot to add something.<br />
The modern science of psychology [which is my major] lays out a set of stages of normal human moral development. I wrote a blog about these stages a while ago, well before you came to this site and the science behind this developmental psychology supports the idea of a secular morality.<br />
This may just answer your questions so we can put this discussion to rest. HONESTLY!! With 44 pages I can't even find my OWN posts anymore. lol<br />
<a href="http://www.thinkatheist.com/forum/topics/atheists-are-at-a-higher-level" target="_blank">http://www.thinkatheist.com/forum/topics/atheists-are-at-a-higher-level</a> I agree with Skycomet: gettin…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2010-05-11:1982180:Comment:2737492010-05-11T20:57:47.145ZMhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/trippedthewire
I agree with Skycomet: getting along in society is evolutionary in basis. It was a survival instinct, much like the fact that we crave fattening, high-calorie food. That's the type of food that kept us alive when times came that all food was scarce, and to this day we want it even though for many countries food is plentiful (if not excess). Morality, however, can be chosen or disregarded, can't it? Priests molest little children, but they are men sworn to your god. They should "know better."…
I agree with Skycomet: getting along in society is evolutionary in basis. It was a survival instinct, much like the fact that we crave fattening, high-calorie food. That's the type of food that kept us alive when times came that all food was scarce, and to this day we want it even though for many countries food is plentiful (if not excess). Morality, however, can be chosen or disregarded, can't it? Priests molest little children, but they are men sworn to your god. They should "know better." They have a book full of rules to follow, for all the good it does them.<br />
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What is the difference between a soldier killing someone in war or a mentally disturbed person murdering a woman he follows from a gas station? What is morality, really? Do you need to be told by a being unproven as existing, or can you generally figure it out on your own? Can you work with your fellow man for the good of the species? And it will be subjective sometimes, my friend. No two people will always interpret anything the same way, even if it is written in black and white in front of the both of them. Sometimes, there is no "right," and you just have to choose the better of two evils. Life is very complicated. Some people need distinct directions, and others prefer to reason and think it through on their own. I prefer to use my thinking skills, personally. I may not always choose correctly, but I haven't yet become the drinker of baby's blood or thief of home stereo systems in my spare time that some people worry atheists become with no direction. I find this to be a good sign.<br />
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And why does there have to be a "meaning of life"? Can't this life be meaningful in itself? I treasure mine every day. I bask in the sunshine, I stop and smell flowers, I jump in puddles with my kiddos, I go running in the rain, I love the people I love very fiercely, I learn from my mistakes, and I am very comfortable in my own skin. This is a good life. I don't need to trade it in for an "afterlife." We are very lucky beings. There's plenty of meaning in that. RAmen! Good argument!tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2010-05-11:1982180:Comment:2736412010-05-11T17:10:15.814ZSkycomet the Fallen Angelhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Skycomet
RAmen! Good argument!
RAmen! Good argument! I just remembered this comic…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2010-05-11:1982180:Comment:2733502010-05-11T01:59:47.550ZJameshttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/1989LX
I just remembered this comic that I read a while back:<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><img src="http://c0389161.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/dyn/str_strip/317159.full.gif"></img></p>
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In a way that sums up my feelings to some degree. In this situation the girl sees the robin for it's true beauty, where as the boy feels that the robin is only important when it's a foretelling of the coming Spring. I see the robin for it's true and natural beauty any time of year, not just when it's telling me something of interest to me. Some with life. I love life for life it's self. No express…
I just remembered this comic that I read a while back:<br />
<br />
<p style="text-align:left"><img src="http://c0389161.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/dyn/str_strip/317159.full.gif"/></p>
<br />
In a way that sums up my feelings to some degree. In this situation the girl sees the robin for it's true beauty, where as the boy feels that the robin is only important when it's a foretelling of the coming Spring. I see the robin for it's true and natural beauty any time of year, not just when it's telling me something of interest to me. Some with life. I love life for life it's self. No express supernatural meaning required.